Originally Posted by
gastropub76
The Mercer in Soho is in a considerably different location than the others you are considering on the upper east side or Midtown. That block of Soho is a shopping mecca for tourists especially on the weekend. I have stayed at the Mercer, and though it has a groovy restaurant downstairs and very friendly staff, the noise insulation between the streetfront shops and the hotel rooms above them was a problem for me. If you want to be in that area of NYC, you should consider the Crosby St instead. The rooms are small but very well designed with huge windows.
Of the uptown ones you mention, I prefer the Mark even though the lobby gives me vertigo. I also have friends that rave about the Surrey which is nearby but I have not stayed there.
I think I'd rather be mid-town or so than downtown. If for no other reason than a lot of the downtown hotels are young and trendy - and we aren't. I like to be pampered when I travel (this trip especially since it will celebrate my "graduation" into Medicare
). I always appreciate a place with good massages. FWIW - the best I've had in the last couple of years was at the FS Atlanta. My masseuse - well I think she could have played on the defensive line for the Atlanta Falcons (very big - strong hands)
. Robyn